Vacuum cleaner having power cord storage

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner having a vacuum cleaner body with a cord outlet is provided. A power cord may be extracted from or retracted into the vacuum cleaner body through the cord outlet, and a plug is provided at an end of the power cord. A stopper is formed at a position spaced from the end of the power cord at a predetermined distance, and a socket portion is provided at the vacuum cleaner body so that the plug may be inserted into the socket portion when cleaning is finished.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0056786 filed on Jun. 25, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The following description relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly, to vacuum cleaners have a power cord storage mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, a vacuum cleaner may draw in air containing dust from a surface to be cleaned to separate the dust from the air and then discharge the purified air to the exterior of the vacuum cleaner. Vacuum cleaners may be provided with a power cord and a plug through which power is supplied to a suction motor for providing a suction force, a brush drive motor for rotating a drum brush, and various types of sensors such as a dust sensor and a pressure switch. The plug may be connected to an outlet mounted in a wall of a house.

In such a vacuum cleaner, a cord reel assembly for automatically winding the power cord may be mounted in a body of the vacuum cleaner so that a user may arrange the power cord after finishing cleaning or a cord hanger may be formed at an outside of the vacuum cleaner body so that the user may manually wind the power cord around the cord hanger.

If the vacuum cleaner is provided with a cord reel assembly, or the user disconnects the plug from the outlet in the wall and presses a cord winding button of the cord reel assembly, the power cord may be automatically wound by an elastic force of a spring provided with the cord reel and disposed in the vacuum cleaner body. However, in this case, the power cord is retracted into the vacuum cleaner body until the plug connected to an end of the power cord reaches the vacuum cleaner body. Hence, the plug may hit the user's body when the power cord is retracted into the vacuum cleaner body which may result in the user becoming injured.

In particular, in an upright vacuum cleaner, a cord winding button of a cord reel assembly may be mounted at a lower portion of a vacuum cleaner body and then a user may press the cord winding button with their foot to operate the cord reel assembly. In this case, the plug may hit the user on the calf or ankle when the power cord is retracted into the vacuum cleaner body.

In other vacuum cleaners, a terminal portion of the plug may be exposed to the exterior of the vacuum cleaner when the power cord is completely wound around a cord reel. Therefore, the terminals of the plug may become corroded or contaminated due to contact with pollutants, dust or moisture. Accordingly, power supply to the vacuum cleaner may be interrupted or the vacuum cleaner may be exposed to risks of fire.

Moreover, in vacuum cleaners provided with a cord hanger, after finishing cleaning, a user may wind a power cord around the cord hanger and attach a plug to the power cord using a hook and loop faster such as VELCRO® band or clip. However, in this case too, a terminal portion of the plug may be exposed to the exterior of the vacuum cleaner and hence the contamination or oxidation of the terminal portion may occur.

Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide a vacuum cleaner which enables a power cord to be safely placed in a body of the vacuum cleaner by pressing a cord winding button.

It may further be desirable to provide a vacuum cleaner having an improved structure in which a plug can be retained so that a terminal portion of the plug, connected to an end of a power cord, may be less subject to corrosion.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, there is provided a vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner body provided with a cord outlet, a power cord for extraction from or retraction into the vacuum cleaner body through the cord outlet, a plug provided at an end of the power cord, a stopper formed at a position spaced from the end of the power cord at a predetermined distance, and a socket portion provided on the vacuum cleaner body shaped to receive the plug when cleaning is finished.

The stopper may be formed of a rubber material.

The plug may include a plug body connected to the power cord and terminals extending from the plug body for insertion into an outlet mounted in a wall. The socket portion may include a socket body provided at a rear surface of the vacuum cleaner body and socket holes formed in the socket body to correspond to the terminals. The cord outlet may be covered by the plug body when the terminals are inserted into the socket holes.

The cord outlet and the socket portion may be provided at the rear surface of the vacuum cleaner body.

The cord outlet and the socket portion may be provided adjacent to one another.

The cord outlet and the socket portion may be integrally formed with one another.

In another aspect, there is provided a vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner body, a power cord, a plug provided at an end of the power cord, and a socket formed on the vacuum cleaner body shaped to receive the plug when the vacuum cleaner is not in use. The vacuum cleaner body is configured to store the power cord when the vacuum cleaner is not in use.

The plug may further include terminals and the socket may further include socket holes configured to receive respective terminals.

The vacuum cleaner body may be configured to store the power cord by retracting the power cord into an interior of the vacuum cleaner body.

The power cord may further include a stopper spaced from the end of the power cord at a predetermined distance.

The vacuum cleaner body may be configured to store the power cord with a cord hanger positioned on an exterior of the vacuum cleaner body.

Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 in which a power cord is retracted into a body of the vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 in which a plug is inserted into a socket portion.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to another example.

Throughout the drawings and detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the systems, apparatuses, and/or methods described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. The progression of processing steps and/or operations described is an example; however, the sequence of steps and/or operations is not limited to that set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art, with the exception of steps and/or operations necessarily occurring in a certain order. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a vacuum cleaner 100 may be an upright vacuum cleaner. A nozzle assembly 120 is rotatably provided at a lower portion of a vacuum cleaner body 110, and a dust-separating apparatus 130 is detachably provided at the front of the vacuum cleaner body 110. The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a power cord 141, a plug 143, a stopper 145 and a socket portion 150. These components are further described below.

A cord reel assembly (not shown) for automatically winding the power cord 141 is built into the interior of the vacuum cleaner body 110, and a cord winding button 117 connected to the cord reel assembly (not shown) is mounted on a side of the vacuum cleaner body 110. The cord reel assembly (not shown) may be of the type that is generally known in the art and therefore the description thereof is omitted. A cord outlet 115 is formed at an edge of the rear surface of the vacuum cleaner body 110 through which the power cord 141 wound by the cord reel assembly (not shown) is extracted out of the vacuum cleaner body 110 or retracted into the vacuum cleaner body 110.

In this example, the cord outlet 115 and the cord winding button 117 are provided at an almost identical height. The cord outlet 115 is formed as a circular hole with a predetermined diameter and provided to have height h2 from the surface to be cleaned. The height h2 is shorter than ½ of the length of the vacuum cleaner body 110, and hence, the cord winding button 117 is mounted on a lower portion of the vacuum cleaner body 110. Accordingly, a user may press the cord winding button with their foot. A plug 143 is connected to an end of the power cord 141. The plug 143 may be connected to an outlet (not shown) mounted in a wall. Thus, the plug 143 supplies commercial power to units of the vacuum cleaner 100 such as a suction motor (not shown), a brush motor (not shown) and various types of sensors (not shown), for example. The plug may supply power to other components of the vacuum cleaner as well.

A stopper 145 is fixed on the power cord 141 separated by distance h1 from the plug 143. The stopper 145 may be formed as a cylindrical shape and may be composed from a rubber material. Other suitable materials may be used as well. The stopper 145 may be joined with the power cord 141 using heat fusion or an adhesive agent, for example. However, other methods of joining may be employed as well.

The diameter of the stopper 145 is greater than that of the cord outlet 115 so that the size of the stopper 145 is larger than that of the cord outlet 115. The distance h1 between the stopper 145 and the plug 143 is shorter than the distance h2 between the cord outlet 115 and the surface to be cleaned.

The plug 143 comprises a plug body 146 connected to the power cord 141 and terminals 147 extending from the plug body 146 may be inserted into an outlet (not shown).

In this example, there are three terminals. However, in a further example, two terminals 149 may be provided, depending on the kind of outlet provided in a particular country.

The socket portion 150 is formed to allow the terminal portions 147 of the plug 143 to be inserted thereinto. The socket portion 150 comprises a socket body 151 and socket holes 155.

The socket body 151 is provided adjacent to the cord outlet 115 formed at the edge of the rear surface of the vacuum cleaner body 110. In FIG. 1, a portion of the socket body 151 is shown in cut away. A front portion 151 a of the socket body 151 may be formed in the shape of a cone having a diameter smaller than that of a rear portion 151 b of the socket body 151. A hole 152, having a size substantially identical to that of the cord outlet 115, is formed at the front part 151 a and is connected to the cord outlet 115. As described above, the socket portion 150 is formed as a separate member and is provided adjacent to the cord outlet 115. However, in another example, the socket portion 150 may be integrally formed with the cord outlet 115.

The socket holes 155 are provided in the vicinity of an edge of the rear portion 151 b. In the plug 143, there are three terminals 147 and two socket holes 155 are provided. Thus, one of the terminals 147, which is not inserted into a corresponding socket hole 155, may be positioned in a space formed between the front and rear portions 151 a and 151 b of the socket body 151, but is not exposed to the exterior of the socket body 151. In another example, three socket holes may be formed in the rear portion 151 b so that the three terminals may each be inserted into corresponding socket holes.

In operation, a user may extract the power cord 141 and then insert the plug 143 into the outlet (not shown) mounted in a wall. If power is supplied to the vacuum cleaner 100, cleaning may commence.

Thereafter, if the cleaning is finished, the user may separate the plug 143 from the outlet (not shown) and press the cord winding button 117, possibly using their foot so that the power cord 114 may be retracted into the interior of the vacuum cleaner body 110 in which the cord reel assembly (not shown) is situated.

If the cord winding button 117 is pressed, the power cord 141 is automatically retracted into the interior of the vacuum cleaner body 110, and the displacement of the power cord 141 is stopped when the stopper 145 abuts the cord outlet 115, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. The stopper 145 may be formed of a rubber material which may reduce the impulse between the stopper 145 and the cord outlet 115.

As described above, when the power cord 141 is situated in the interior of the vacuum cleaner body 110, the predetermined length h1 of the power cord 141 is left outside due to the stopper 145. Therefore, the plug 143 is less likely to strike the user, for example on the user's calf or ankle, when the power cord 141 is retracted into the interior of the vacuum cleaner body 110.

The stopper 145 is provided on the power cord 141 separated by distance h1 from the plug 143. Since the distance h1 is shorter than the distance h2 between the cord outlet 115 and the surface to be cleaned, the plug 143 does not come into contact with dust and other undesirable substances on the surface to be cleaned and therefore helps prevent or limit contamination or corrosion of the terminals 147.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, the user may insert the terminal 147 of the plug 143 into the socket holes 155 of the socket portion 150. Two of the three terminals 147 are inserted into the socket holes 155 and the other of the three terminals 147 is positioned in the space formed between the front and rear portions 151 a and 151 b. In this configuration, the plug body 146 covers the cord outlet 115 when viewed from the exterior of the vacuum cleaner 100.

As described above, the vacuum cleaner 100 may be stored in the configuration where the terminal portions 147 of the plug 143 are inserted into the socket portion 150. Thus, it is possible to help prevent or limit contamination or corrosion of the terminal portions 147. Furthermore, the socket portion 150 and the cord outlet 115 are provided adjacent to one another and therefore, the plug body 146 covers the cord outlet 115. This too helps prevent or limit the cord outlet 115 from being corroded or contaminated.

Another example of a vacuum cleaner 200 is described below, with reference to FIG. 4.

The vacuum cleaner 200 is not provided with a cord reel assembly. The configuration of a nozzle assembly 220 and a dust separating apparatus 230 is identical to that of the example described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

The vacuum cleaner 200 of this example is provided with a cord hanger 240 around which a power cord 245 may be wound and a socket portion 260 into which a plug 243 may be inserted.

The cord hanger 240 comprises a first cord hanger 241 and a second cord hanger 242. The first and second cord hangers 241 and 242 are provided disposed in upper and lower directions on a side of a vacuum cleaner body 210 while being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The first cord hanger 241 is disposed above the second cord hanger 242 (with reference to the orientation of FIG. 4). The first cord hanger 241 protrudes upward, and the second cord hanger 242 protrudes downward.

In the socket portion 260, a socket body 261 is connected to a rear surface of the vacuum cleaner body 210, and socket holes 263 are formed in the socket body 261 so that terminal portions 243 a of the plug 243 may be inserted into the socket holes 263. Preferably, the socket portion 260 is disposed at a position higher than ½ of the length of the vacuum cleaner body 210 so as to be provided close to the first cord hanger 241. When a user winds the power cord 245 around the cord hanger 240 and then inserts the plug 243 into the socket portion 260, the socket portion 260 is positioned at an upper portion of the vacuum cleaner body 210, so that the user can comfortably insert the plug 243 into the socket portion 260 without unnecessary bending of their waist.

In operation, a user may untie the power cord 252 from the cord hanger 240, and then insert the plug 243 into an outlet (not shown) mounted in a wall. If power is supplied to the vacuum cleaner 200, cleaning may commence.

Thereafter, if the cleaning is finished, the user may separate the plug 243 from the outlet (not shown) and then wind the power cord 245 around the first and second cord hangers 241 and 242. Once the power cord 245 cannot be wound around the cord hanger 240 any more, the user holds the plug 243 and may insert the terminals 243 a into the socket holes 263 of the socket portion 260.

As such, in the vacuum cleaner 200, the plug 243 is kept in the configuration where the terminal portions 243 a of the plug 243 are inserted into the socket holes 263 and hence, the terminal portions 243 a may not be exposed to the exterior of the socket portion 260. This helps to prevent or limit contamination or corrosion of the terminals 243 a.

As described above, a stopper is provided on the power cord so that when pressing the cord winding button, the risk of injury to a user is reduced.

Furthermore, when storing a power cord, a plug may not be exposed to the exterior but kept in the configuration where the plug is inserted into a socket portion, which helps to prevent or limit corrosion of the terminals from external factors such as pollutants.

A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, apparatus or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a vacuum cleaner body comprising a cord outlet; a power cord configured for extraction from and retraction into the vacuum cleaner body through the cord outlet; a plug located at an end of the power cord; a stopper formed at a position spaced from the end of the power cord at a predetermined distance; and a socket portion located on the vacuum cleaner body shaped to receive the plug when cleaning is finished.
 2. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper comprises a rubber material.
 3. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug comprises: a plug body connected to the power cord; and terminals extending from the plug body configured for insertion into an outlet mounted in a wall, wherein the socket portion comprises: a socket body located at a rear surface of the vacuum cleaner body, and socket holes formed in the socket body, the socket holes corresponding to the terminals, and wherein the cord outlet is covered by the plug body when the terminals are inserted into the socket holes.
 4. A vacuum cleaner as claimed claim 1, wherein the cord outlet and the socket portion are located at the rear surface of the vacuum cleaner body.
 5. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cord outlet and the socket portion are located adjacent to one another.
 6. A vacuum cleaner as claimed claim 1, wherein the cord outlet and the socket portion are integrally formed with one another. 